I have been pondering this subject in my heart for a few weeks now. Something that I've been struggling with for a couple of months and working on it with God's help. I've written in my journal and wrote down a bunch of scriptures that relate and I was ready to write about it today and then I got on my blog homepage. All the updates from the other blogs I follow and two by David Wilkerson with the topics being exactly what I wanted to write about. I guess he beat me to it. Haha. (I understand that he went to be with the Lord this past April, so either Heaven has really great wifi or DW's staff still updates his blog for him :) ) The subject matter is "Taming Your Tongue," and I found all sorts of great scriptures on how Christians should talk and act.
I was homeschooled all my life, went to church with Christian friends, and worked with Christian employers. Being in that sort of environment, foul language was not a temptation; not even a thought in my mind. However, as a military spouse, it is a COMPLETELY different story. Being around non-Christians, soldiers, and even Christians whose conviction are different than my own, has been a challenge for me. I would be lying if I said I haven't been in a frustrating situation where my tongue has not been guarded. Granted, I've been by myself at home but that's no excuse...I still have the Holy Spirit that immediately reprimands. I used to look at other people and think, "Well my goodness, I can't believe they said that! They are Christians. They shouldn't talk like that or say those things." But I didn't realize how incredibly easy it is to slip up and say certain things when you are not guarding your heart and your tongue. I thought I could be strong enough to do the right thing, but when you hear that kind of language every single day, at the gym, grocery store, restaurants, with non-Christian friends...you get calloused and desensitized. Things start to not sound as bad or offensive as they did before. And if you are not daily renewing your mind with God's word, those pricks from the Holy Spirit don't seem to happen as often. I want my speech to be pure and glorifying to the Lord and I'm sorry that I have slipped. I have asked His forgiveness and I know that He has forgiven me. I'm so thankful that there is nothing that can separate me from His love!! So here are the verses of conviction, encouragement, instruction and reminders of God that I have found for Taming the Tongue and Guarding Your Heart. (of course David Wilkerson's posts are a little more eloquent than mine!)
Psalm 39: 1 - I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin.
Proverbs 4:24 -Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Proverbs 13:3 - Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.
Proverbs 16:23 - A wise man's heart guides his mouth and his lips promote instruction.
Matthew 12:34 - Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let anything unwholesome come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up that it may benefit those who listen. (Thanks mom for making us memorize that one! lol)
Colossians 3:8 - But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Colossians 4:6 - Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer everyone.
2 Timothy 2:16 - Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it become more and more ungodly.
James 3:5-6 - Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great fores is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. verse 8-10 - But no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
We've all heard that if you let trash in, trash will come out. So concerning matters of the heart:
Romans 12:2 - Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Ephesians 5:1 tell us to "Be imitators of God." (How does He want me to act?)
Galatians 5:16-17 - So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 - On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
2 Thessalonians 3:13 - And as for you brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
2 Peter 1:3-9
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. If anyone does not have these, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
I don't want my Christian testimony to be ruined by anything that I say. I don't want to be "ineffective and unproductive." Psalm 19:12-13 says, "But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins. May they not rule over me." I had never thought about those "willful" sins...doing something even though you know it is wrong. Lord may they not rule over me! James says that NO man can tame the tongue. Knowing that I can not do this in my own strength, I am relying on the grace of God and His strength that I may glorify Him in everything that I do.
"May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)
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